Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-04-15
COMMUNICATIONS.
BUTLER, A PRIL IL, 1887.

We are led to this remark upon read.
ing the action of the Wet. u, in re.
lation to the license question. The
preamble charges, that the court dis
regarded the wishes and testimony OF
a large majority Of the best citizens
of the county. This is a startling
charge to come from those who repre-
sent and illustrate the "lalU abiding
christian sentiment Of the county,"
But the charge loses much Of its force
when the number of persons whose
testimony was thus disregarded is fix
ed at 5000 The population of But
Ter county is near 60,000-but 5000
of these 10000 constitutes "large
majority of the best citizens of the
county" Such is the modest declar-
alton of these best citizens themselves.
If 5000 constitutes a majority of the
best citizens it is manifest that the
whole number Of such good ones Is
less than 10000, leaving $4,000 who
are not good law abiding and Chris
tan people. Therefore the action OF
the court in holding that 5000 are not
a majority of $4,000, and in not de-
claring that these remonstrants con-
stitute all the best and all the decent,
law abiding people of the county, is a
Judicial outrage" If this associa-
ton insists that they represent, or
are the best people of the county,
would it not be well to ask the pa
pers of the county to publish detail
ed statement Of the rumber and char
acter of those VINO did not ask the
court to refuse license instead OF mod
estlv asking these newspapers to pub
lish a statement of the number and
character of the "remOnStrGnts lChOSe
aCisheS haze beer so arbitrarily disre'
qarded ?" No doubt the association
entertains an exalted opinion of its
own Importance and a deservedly
bigh one of the superlative excellence
of it's individual members, but thai
alone neither proves these opinions
to be true nor conyinces anybody
that 5000 are a larger majority OF
either the decent or law abiding citl'
zens of Butler county.
Humility is Christian virtue.
Charity is its sister and we believe
that true humility and charity-in-
tense and pure-are found among
thousands of citizens besides those
who modestly assume that they pos
sess all of these. We dare not believe
this. Besides, true merit is not osten-
tatious, 1t does not proclaim itself
on the street corners; not publish
its virtues in the newspapers--charity
is kind, not revengeful, it enVieth not
Charity vaunteth not itself, IS moi
pufed up." 1t is not easily provok-
ed Charity "beareth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all
things" We hope that there are
good and law abiding citizens besides
those who signed the remonstrances
and respectfully prayed the court to
refuse all applications for license.
We believe that this VIC L . COM
posed as it is of good, honest AID
true women, does not embrace all the
good and true wouen Of Butler coun-
ty, and that such an assumption
would be untrue and insulting.
Whenever any person or society
loses it's temper and dignity because
its wishes have been arbitrarily dis.
regarded by the court it comedies its
unfitness for giving either legal or
moral instruction. Courts are not
constituted to register private wishes
and when it refuses to cater to the
private wishes of anybody its action
is not mysterious nor strange. Seri-
ouslv, the action of the VIC I. U. is
regretted by all who entertain a
proper respect for the opinion OF
others. The conclusion so inconsid-
erately reached and so promptly pub
lished to the world is too hasty, too
ill.tempered, not to say egotistic, to
command the respect of thoughtful
citizens. While the determination to
abandon the fight is an exhibition Of
spleen in strong contrast with the un'
selfish purposes and the exclusive
Christian virtues of these disappoint'
ed ladies'.
Besides all this, may the court not
be right after all? Pennsylvania las
over sixty counties besides Butler;
courts are held in every one of them,
presided over by horest Judges. In
most of these counties licenses arc
granted by the courts under the same
law which governs ours; among all
the Judges one and enc only has re-
fused all licenses. while over sixty
have felt constrained by their official
oaths to grant; and yet the action OF
this court is said to be arbitrary and
a Judicial outrage. The surround
ing Judges-Judges Wickham, Nc.
Michael, Mehard, Church. Taylor,
Wilson, Brown, Hart, Hunter and
NeaIe-have all granted licenses.
Did they commit a Judicial outrage
or is their conduct strange or mysterl-
Gus? The suggestion, THAT we will
hold the Judge responsible fer the
evils and crimes!" is in perfect har-
mony with the arrogant and dicta-
torial attitude maintained through,
out.
As to the meu whose appetites for
strong drink have been overcome,
while they were unable to get at it,
there is little to say. A man who is
sober only when he can't get drink,
and who will not restrain his appetite
is not to our mind entitled to much
sympathy. And we believe that if
sympathy were wasted on subjects
more deserving and the drinker told
that he is a beast when drunk, in
stead Of hero and saint when acci-
dently sober, it would be much better
for him and the community. We
have great sympathy for the wife and
children Of such man-none for him
He deserves none Just as long as
female sympathy is lavished on
drunken vagabonds and the temper.
ary reformer lionized by them, just SO
long the crop will be grown, and fresh
subjects furnished to order.
Let US reform ourselves and cease
to be judges Of others.
MEMO.